Bitcoin's monthly chart performance indicates a possible shift in market structure, with long-term data suggesting the latest monthly low may already be set and upward price action could follow, market analyst Lennaert Snyder said on X. Snyder cited 10 years of BTC data showing about 97.7% of monthly highs and lows form within the first 15 days, and roughly 80.7% of months print a new P2 (Point 2) after the 17th day, pointing to statistically favorable conditions for further gains this month. Crypto trader Killa noted on X that Bitcoin broke away from an established 14th-day pattern for the first time in 7 months, after previously seeing 5 profitable setups from this behavior, and argued the single pivot deviation does not invalidate the broader price trend. Market focus is now turning to macro events, with traders watching the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting as a potential inflection point after the latest Consumer Price Index release failed to trigger a local top.

The cryptocurrency market lost roughly $100 billion in value as bitcoin fell 5% amid cautious signals from the Federal Reserve. The bitcoin decline dragged down broader digital asset prices, underscoring market sensitivity to Fed policy cues.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs registered seven consecutive days of net inflows on March 17, the longest streak since October 2025, with $199.4 million added on Monday and roughly $1.2 billion over the past week, SoSoValue data show. Total assets under management reached $96.7 billion, though daily trading volumes in these products slipped to $2.6 billion over the same period. CoinShares reported crypto investment funds drew about $2.7 billion over three straight weeks, lifting year-to-date inflows to nearly $1.2 billion and marking a rebound from a weaker start to the year when Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.8 billion in monthly outflows versus $1.7 billion in inflows. Altcoin products also recovered, with Ether funds taking in $138.3 million, Solana-based products adding $17.8 million and XRP funds gaining $4.64 million, while Solana led all crypto ETFs year-to-date with $223 million in net inflows and Ether products faced $364.5 million in cumulative outflows.

Bitcoin whale addresses holding more than 100 BTC transferred a combined 44,459 BTC to centralized exchanges within a single day, the latest data show. The movement reflects large-holder flows from whale wallets to trading platforms in the spot market.

Bitcoin fell 4.56% to $71,333 after the Federal Reserve kept its policy rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, triggering a "sell the news" reaction. Fed Chair Jerome Powell cited sticky inflation and potential oil shock risks while offering no clear guidance on near-term rate cuts. Bitcoin has declined after 7 of the last 8 FOMC meetings, and traders are watching the $70,000-$71,000 support band as a key area.

The US national debt exceeded $39 trillion for the first time in history. Bitcoin advocates highlighted the milestone, linking the record debt level to the rationale for holding Bitcoin.

Bitcoin traded around $71,400 with weekly gains after briefly reaching $76,000 and pulling back about $5,000, CoinGecko data show. Market analyst Ali Martinez said a daily close above $73,344 resistance, if that level turns into support, could open a path toward $79,234 and $85,555. Whales purchased 40,000 BTC over the past seven days, worth nearly $2.9 billion at current prices, bringing their holdings to roughly 5.17 million BTC or about 25% of circulating supply, Martinez noted on X. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded sustained net inflows over the last seven days, while Axel Adler Jr. estimated the average ETF holder cost basis at around $79,962, exchange balances dropped to a six-year low of about 2.72 million BTC on March 18, and X user Cantonese Cat observed that monthly Bollinger Bands tightened to unprecedented levels, signaling potential major volatility in either direction.

Hedge funds have significantly reduced their Bitcoin ETF positions, while advisors, sovereign funds, and other institutions continued to add holdings, recent 13F filings show. The divergence suggests Bitcoin ETF ownership is increasingly concentrated among longer-term investors, according to the filings.

American Bitcoin (ABTC), a mining and treasury company backed by members of the Trump family, accumulated 6,899 BTC worth about $491 million, surpassing Mike Novogratz's Galaxy Digital, which holds 6,894 BTC, in the ranking of major public corporate Bitcoin holders. ABTC was created in March 2025 as a majority-controlled subsidiary of Hut 8 (HUT), with Hut 8 initially retaining 80% ownership and investors including Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. holding the remaining 20%, while Trump Media & Technology (DJT), linked to President Donald Trump, separately holds 9,542 BTC. In March 2026, ABTC purchased 11,298 ASIC miners for its Drumheller, Alberta facility, a move expected to lift its mining capacity by about 12% and add 3.05 exahashes per second, equal to roughly 0.3% of global Bitcoin network computing power. The company's accumulation of 6,899 BTC within roughly one year of its formation reflects an aggressive acquisition pace amid broader corporate competition to build sizable Bitcoin treasuries.